Restoring the Foundations
With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid. Ezra 3:11 NLT
The book of Ezra begins with the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring His people back home after seventy years of captivity in Babylon. God moved the heart of King Cyrus to allow the return and provide the necessary resources. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, the people did not find past glory, but ruins; however, instead of getting discouraged, they united with a single purpose: to rebuild. The first thing they built was the altar for worship, and when they finally laid the foundations of the new temple, there was a mixture of weeping for the past and shouts of joy for the new beginning. This portion of Scripture teaches us valuable principles on how to start over when everything seems to be destroyed.
- God moves hearts to fulfill His purpose Even the most powerful king on earth, Cyrus, was an instrument in God’s hands. He can move the hearts of bosses, rulers, and key people in society to open doors in our favor and fulfill His original plan for our lives, showing us that nothing escapes His control.
- A spirit of unity is necessary When the people arrived in Jerusalem, they gathered together as one man. To rebuild what is broken in our families, churches, or communities, we must put aside selfishness and divisions. Working together in harmony and unity multiplies our strength and attracts the blessing.
- The altar must be our priority Before building the walls or the great temple, the people rebuilt the altar. This represents our life of prayer, communion, and worship to God. Any project, business, ministry, or family that we wish to build must begin by putting God at the center and honoring Him first.
- Laying foundations requires effort and bravery It was not easy to start among rubble and under the constant gaze of enemy nations, but they made the effort and overcame fear. Restoring our spiritual, emotional, or financial life takes hard work, persistence, and faith to establish solid foundations that sustain our future.
- We must celebrate new beginnings Although the new temple did not seem as glorious as the previous one in the eyes of the elders who remembered the past, the people celebrated with great joy. We must not despise small beginnings or get stuck in the nostalgia or pain of yesterday, but give thanks to God for the new thing He is doing today.
Starting over is never an easy task, especially when we face the ruins of past mistakes, painful losses, or unexpected crises. However, we have a God who is an expert in restoration and is always faithful to His promises. If we make sure to put worshiping Him as our highest priority and work with faith, perseverance, and unity, we will see the foundations of a new season of blessing established in our lives. All the weeping for what we lost or what was taken from us will eventually turn into shouts of joy for what God is building before our eyes.
With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid. Ezra 3:11 NLT
Think About It:
- What “ruins” in your life (family relationships, finances, vocation, or spiritual life) need you to start rebuilding their foundations today?
- Have you put the “altar” (your daily communion and time with God) as the main priority before trying to fix the other problems in your own strength?
Take a step of obedience today, however small it may seem, and take a few minutes to worship and thank God for the new opportunity to start again.